High-performance thermal capacitors made by explosion forming

This paper addresses the thermal testing of UniPore-paraffin composites for use as thermal capacitors. UniPore is a relatively new porous material with unidirectional pores formed by the explosive fusion of multiple thin copper pipes filled with paraffin. The current study investigates the suitability of this composite for transient thermal energy storage. The application demands both high thermal diffusivity and a large specific energy storage capacity. These requirements are met by the highly conductive copper and the phase change material paraffin, respectively. Combined experimental and numerical analyses are conducted towards the determination of temperature stabilization performance. Furthermore, key geometric criteria for the design of optimum UniPore structures as thermal capacitors are identified. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.